The Return
by jackandsamforever
Summary: Post episode one-shot set immediately after "The Good Samaritan Killer". Liz tries to hide how she really feels about Red's return, but isn't doing a very good job of it.


**Author's Note**: This is a one-shot set immediately after the ending of "The Good Samaritan Killer". I tried to keep this canon..I really did..but I can't write a fic without there being some 'ship. Thanks for reading and please let me know what you think! Good or bad. :)

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing that has to do with The Blacklist.

"The next name on the Blacklist."

Liz just stared at him with tears in her eyes. Why was he bringing that up now? She hadn't seen him for weeks and all he cared about was the next name on the Blacklist? He seemed slightly upset with her, and she could only think of one reason why that would be.

His words about her not having a "clean house" seemed more personal than if he was just talking about the FBI. Granted, she still hadn't done anything about Tom, but what was she supposed to do? Outright accuse him of being a ruthless criminal? Take Red's word about Tom without any evidence to back his implications?

She was caught between a rock and a hard place; and ever since Red had left, her and Tom's relationship had been strained. She suspected that Tom knew something was off, and that's why he was trying to get her to move to Nebraska.

She blinked, the tears clearing momentarily. "Red." She said his name with more emotion than she had intended, but he just continued to stare at her with raised eyebrows. He wasn't going to make this easy.

"I...I know you warned me about Tom, but I don't know what to do. I'm stuck."

He pursed his lips and tilted his head, "I can't force you to believe my repeated warnings about your husband. I only hope nothing happens before I can convince you that I'm telling you the truth."

Liz swallowed and leaned back in her chair, trying to hold back the tide of emotions that were trying to force their way out. "I" She paused for more than a few seconds, then sighed. "Never mind." She closed her eyes, but opened them again when she heard him move.

He uncrossed his legs and sat forward, giving her a penetrating stare. "What were you going to say?"

She'd missed him so much; she could admit that to herself now. All these weeks she'd only had one thought when it came to him. _Find him._ She didn't ever allow herself to miss him, or think about him in any other way. Now that he was here though, she was having a hard time not sitting next to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and putting her face in his chest while breathing him in. She clenched her fists and gripped the armrests tightly to stop herself from doing just that.

"Lizzy?"

She could at least let him know she missed him. Kind of. "I don't want you to leave again." She let out a shaky breath. That admission had been hard enough.

He stood up, came over and knelt next to her, but didn't touch her. "What's going on?"

She could smell his aftershave and breathed in deeply under the pretense of getting ready to say something. "Nothing. I'm just tired of being suspected of being in collusion with you. Now that you're back, they can stop interrogating me-"

He cut her off, anger in his voice, "They've been interrogating you? Under what pretense?"

She shook her head, "It doesn't matter now. You're back." She smiled faintly and allowed herself to touch the back of his hand that was resting near her thigh on the cushion.

He glanced down at the contact but didn't pull his hand away. Instead, he turned his hand and gripped hers tightly, then looked up. "I won't leave again. At least not for a while."

Liz sighed internally with relief, but showed no outward sign.

She decided to change the subject, "Can I get you anything to eat or drink?"

He bit his lip, released her hand and stood up slowly, one of his knees popping. "I'm fine. I need to leave before your husband comes home. I have a feeling him finding mehere will open a whole other can of worms." He chuckled humorlessly.

She didn't have any idea what he meant by that, but didn't want him to leave so soon. Tom wouldn't be back for at least an hour or so, depending on the traffic.

"At least let me make you some tea or coffee for the road?" She didn't know if he liked either one, but it was worth a shot.

Red had picked his hat up from the coffee table and was looking at her again, an unreadable expression on his face. Then he blinked and nodded slowly, "Tea would be fine. Thank you."

She waved her arm for him to follow her and walked into the kitchen, hearing his footsteps behind her.

Liz set about making his tea and finding a mug for him to take. She felt a water drop hit the back of her hand and looked at it, confused for a moment about where it had come from. Then another fell and she realized she was crying. It took everything she had to fight them back. She only had to hold them back long enough for him to leave, then she could let them flow freely.

She thought she had hid her tears from him, but knew she failed when she felt his hand on her shoulder. "Lizzy. Why are you crying?"

She turned to him and laughed humorlessly, "Oh, it's just been a long day. I'm fine."

He was looking at her with concern, and it didn't help her in her fight to control the tears. He brought both hands up and cupped her jaw, wiping the tears away with his thumbs. Liz closed her eyes at the contact, more tears falling.

"Sweetheart. I don't believe you, but I'm not going to force you to talk." His voice was gentle and quiet.

She nodded and let out a choked sob, her resolve finally crumbling. He dropped his hands from her face then wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. She went willingly and threaded her arms under his jacket, fisting the back of his vest in her hands. He ran small soothing circles over her back as she cried. She hated that she was showing weakness in front of him, but couldn't hold it back any longer, and knew he wouldn't bring up her loss of control later if she didn't want him to.

After what seemed like at least an hour, but was probably only five or ten minutes, the tears ran out and she laid her head on his chest, breathing in his scent. It was comforting. He turned his head and spoke in her ear, "I need to go, Lizzy. Will you be alright?"

She pulled back, embarrassed, and took a step back from him; immediately missing his warmth. "I'll be fine. Sorry about that." She couldn't look him in the eye.

He put his finger under her chin and tilted it up to look him, "Don't ever apologize for showing how you really feel."

She nodded and he dropped his hand. "Now, don't worry about the tea. I really have to leave now."

"Ok, let me walk you out."

She led him to the door, and started to open it, but he stopped it with his hand, then leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. "I'm glad to be back. We'll talk about the next name on the Blacklist tomorrow."

She nodded and smiled faintly, trying not to react to the feel of his lips on her skin, "I'm glad you're back too. See you."

He dropped his hand from the door and allowed her to open it, then he walked through it without another word to her. She watched him put his hat back on as he walked down the steps and she closed the door quietly.

She needed to focus now because Tom was coming home and she needed to act like she hadn't just fallen into the arms of another man for comfort.


End file.
